KUCHING, Oct 23 — There is no need for Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) to request the King to prematurely revoke the Emergency which will expire February next year so that the 12th state election can be held before end of the year, said Chong Chieng Jen yesterday.

The Sarawak Democratic Action Party (DAP) chairman asserted that Sarawak’s case is different from Melaka which was not placed under Emergency Order.

"And thus by the operation of the Federal Constitution, Melaka must hold its state election within 60 days of the dissolution of the Melaka State Legislative Assembly (DUN).

"As for Sarawak, not only is Sarawak now amongst the states with the highest number of new Covid-19 infections (despite a huge reduction in testing done for the last one month), Sarawak also records the second highest number of Covid-19 deaths per one million population amongst the states in Malaysia,” he said in a statement.

Chong, who is Stampin MP and Kota Sentosa assemblyman, said the national number of pandemic deaths per million people was 24 for the last two weeks.

He said while Perlis had the highest number of deaths per million people, which was 67, Sarawak ranked second recording 57 deaths per million people followed by Penang (41), Kelantan (33) and Perak (32).

As for intensive care unit (ICU) beds utilisation, he said Sarawak topped the nation by recording 79.8 per cent ICU beds utilised as of yesterday.

"These figures are alarming and worrying. As the state government, GPS should focus all effort on managing Covid-19 and not on planning to bring forward the state election which would definitely increase the infection cases and the death cases.

"We are talking about the lives of Sarawakians, which GPS should not take lightly. Do not put your political interest above the lives and health of Sarawakians,” he added.

As such, Chong said Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg should put to rest all speculations about having the state election before the expiry of the Emergency Order in February 2022. — Borneo Post Online